When architectural historian Mark Girouard coined the phrase ‘power houses’ to describe stately homes, he wrote only about men and their roles. But what was it like to be a woman in one these ‘power houses’? In particular, how much did the female head of the household, the mistress of the house, share the power? This paper will explore the roles that women played in building the houses, in running the families and household, and in managing the networks that shaped elite life, and how they were central in shaping life in the country house.
Dr. Ruth Larsen (University of Derby) "Mistress: A History of Women and their Country Houses"
Friday 7th May 2027, 20:00-21:30
at the Wade Street Church, Lichfield
Ruth has been at University of Derby, where she is the programme leader for the undergraduate History programmes, since 2005. She has published widely on learning and teaching in History and on elite families and their homes, including the 2025 book Mistress: Women and their Country Houses, co-written by (the late) Anthony Fletcher.
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